Nodes

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Important Concept

 


Description: This section discusses different types of nodes: Roll-up, Bill-Term, and Other

 

Roll-up Node

 

Exists only at level 1
No attributes other than a code and a name
Allows multiple projects to be subtotaled together in project management reports
A separate WBS delimiter can be used from the rest of the WBS delimiter. For instance , 9801.01-A-001 is a four-level structure where the roll-up is 9801; the project is 01; the first level beneath project is A; the bottom level is 001.

 

Bill Term Node (aka  Project)

 

If no roll-up node exists, it is defined at level 1, else at level 2
Project leaders (PIC, PM, Project Accountant) are defined here
Client is defined here.
Invoice design is defined here. An invoice design can have multiple labor and expense sections. In the case where multiple contractual elements (i.e., fixed fee, lumps sum, T&M, not to exceed) need to appear on one invoice, there are two methods. Method A involves establishing an invoice filter at the level below the Project level. The filter is simply a code that will be assigned on each of the nodes below the project. Then multiple invoice sections will be added to an invoice design that will limit the scope to the particular nodes with the corresponding code.
Method B is to assign multiple projects to the same Invoice Group. In this method each project that is part of an invoice group can have its own invoice design. While the individual projects will print out as separate invoices, the actual invoice number assigned to each will be the same. It will also post as one invoice in the InFocus A/R sub-ledger.  A special invoice design section called a cover sheet can be added to the invoice group that will provide a recap of the projects involved along with a grand total. The major difference between the two methods is invoice format. The first method, in essence uses one invoice report design, so in the case where there is a mixture of contract types (fixed fee, T&M), the report design can accommodate whether or not a page break occurs between the types. In the second method, each project is its own report, so a page break will always happened between the projects.
Determines what level of the WBS is used for upsets and fixed fee amounts. Please note that if fixed fee and upsets are established on the same project they need to exist at the same level. Contract amounts can exist up to three levels below the bill term level.
Profit center ownership is defined here.
Determines at what level sharing profit centers will be defined.
Determines minimum level where non-labor transactions can be applied.
Can have expense groups defined
Overall ODC and consultant markups can be defined here

 

Other Nodes

 

Exist below the bill term node
If level is directly below the project then invoice filters can be defined
Only bottom nodes can have labor charged to them.
First three below the bill term node can appear on invoicing. They can all use upsets and fixed fee amounts. The contractual level is established on a project-by-project basis for labor, expense and consultant.
Time and expense can be activated and inactivated on data range
Can have rate schedules and multipliers defined. In this case the rate potentially overrides schedules at higher levels.
Can have sharing profit centers defined
Can identify taxable items
All budgeting occurs on bottom nodes
Expense multipliers can be defined